ماnot مُنحَwas granted الإنسانُman منfrom دهرهِhis lifetime
ما مُنحَ الإنسانُ من دهرهِ
موهبةًa gift أسنىmore sublime منthan العقلِreason
موهبةً أسنى من العقلِ
Never has man, in his lifetime, been granted
a gift more sublime than reason.
يُؤنِسهُit keeps him company إنif ملَّهtires of him صاحبٌa companion
يُؤنِسهُ إن ملَّه صاحبٌ
فهوso he علىdespite الوحدةِsolitude فيamong أهلِkin
فهو على الوحدةِ في أهلِ
It keeps him company if a companion tires of him;
so even in solitude he is among kin.
ماnot ضرهّharms him عنديin my view ولاnor عابَهُdisgraces him
ما ضرهّ عندي ولا عابَهُ
إنif غلبَتهُovercomes him دولةthe reign of ُ الجهلِignorance
إن غلبَتهُ دولة ُ الجهلِ
It neither harms him, in my view, nor disgraces him
if the reign of ignorance overcomes him.